Picking up an old arbor press

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dbb-the-bruce

Dave
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Found a fair price on a Greenerd No 2 Arbor Press - pretty old but looks decent in the pic.
Clearly, it's a really simple piece of equipment and as long as it functions and the casting isn't cracked I doubt there is much that could go wrong.

Is there anything, in particular, I should walk away from?
Price seems to be the going rate. Doesn't have an anvil wheel but those seem easy and cheap to acquire.

TIA.
-Dave
 
I think you've covered it, it's a simple piece of equipment with few moving parts. Casting condition probably matters more than anything, since all of the other components can be repaired or rebuilt. The anvil wheel would be nice, but unless the size is right for the job, it'll just get in the way more often than it's useful.
 
Have a look at the teeth on the rack and check for smooth operation. It would take a lot of abuse to damage that stuff, but you never know. Also, I prefer not to see bent handles (on vises as well). They suggest the use of cheater bars which
also may indicate abuse. But really, they're hard to damage.

If you get it, we'd like to see pictures...
 
Agreed with Nogoingback. I don't like to see bent handles either for the same reason.

I'm guessing it's not the ratcheting type but if it is & the handle is bent, check the ratcheting ring gear for cracks or chipped teeth.
 
I found mine for so cheap I couldn't pass it up. Its an import, but works perfect. And the point is it's amazing I went all these years without one. I use it way more than I ever thought I would. It's a 3ton Jet. It came with the rotary plate which I use all the time, just wish it had a ratchet.
 
I think you'll like the Grenerd arbor press. I traded a guy an old Toro lawnmower for a model 3B like this one about 20 years ago.

www.ebay.com

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I find I use it on almost a daily basis
 
Ah, you guys are killing me!
I'd love to add that deep-throat floor stand model to my collection.

I started out just wanting a basic 2 ton bench arbor press, now I'm looking at good deals on floor/stand models.
I'm a strong believer in buying as much capability as you can justify when adding equipment, however, my current interests are model scale work and I just don't have space in my shop.

My immediate need is to use it for broaching.

I guess I'll stick to the one I'm looking at. Pictures after I pick it up.
Thanks
 
If you plan to use the press for broaching be sure to get one with a large enough throat opening to accommodate the size broaches you intend to use. here's a link to the duMont broach catalog. I have the No. 20 combination set. Page 7 gives the dimensions of the broaches. It also lists the amount of pressure needed to press the broach through the maximum length of cut recommended. As an FYI these dimensions and pressures required are pretty much standard for all brands.


As an example a 3/8" broach is 13-7/8" long and requires 7,000 lbs. of pressure to cut the maximum length of 6". I just used my 3B to cut a number of 1/8" B keyways. Even a broach this small requires 700 psi of force. I need to use my hydraulic press when broaching anything larger than a 3/16" B keyway.

Here's a link to the Greenerd arbor press catalog.

Note the 2 ton model has a maximum ram travel of 8", and the lever on this model only is only 19-3/4" long. The 3B model by comparison has a ram travel of 11-1/2" wit a 24-3/4" lever. There is also a considerable difference in weight in that the 2 ton model weighs 60 lbs., while the 3B model weighs 335 lbs.

To top it off I would suggest a ratchet style handle as opposed to a lever or wheel style. In most cases you'll find you need the most leverage in the most inconvenient handle position. With a ratchet lever model the handle can be repositioned. Not so with the non-ratchet lever or hand wheel models.
 
You can easily make your own daisy wheel from A36 plate if you are so inclined... That's what I did with my press.

Ted
 
projectnut said:
As an example a 3/8" broach is 13-7/8" long and requires 7,000 lbs. of pressure to cut the maximum length of 6". I just used my 3B to cut a number of 1/8" B keyways. Even a broach this small requires 700 psi of force. I need to use my hydraulic press when broaching anything larger than a 3/16" B keyway.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. For now, I'm just going to be working with small brass parts and making my own simple broaches. Mostly for the experience. What I need for a broach is going to be custom. I also don't need to optimize time/steps that much so it's no big deal if I have to push 2 or 3 homemade 6" broaches through a 1/8 - 1/4" brass disk.

If I start having too much fun, I'll invest in bigger equipment.
 
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